A Job Not Well Done

If I were in the shoes of the Bulgarian Interior Minister, Mr. Rumen Petkov, before trying to show off about anything, I’d think twice. His actions do not have a good record of being applauded anyways, and reasonably so. However, on Thursday, when he announced the report, which Sofia had to present to the EU Commission about Bulgaria’s progress in the ‘Justice and Home Affairs” sector, he quoted some figures, which made not only Brussels, but also me, raise my eyebrow skeptically.

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http://evropa.dnevnik.bg/show/?storyid=324273

297 trials for corruption, which resulted in a sentence. 1,706 concluded pre-trials on corruption cases. 599 prosecution acts against 705 people. And all those achievements for just six months. So far, so good. What’s wrong then? How about some other figures? Did the Minister name any public figures, who were convicted of corruption? No! Like there is no high-level corruption in Bulgaria! Mystery… Was the full text of the report publicized and made available to the Bulgarian citizens? Another negative answer, and another mystery. In this respect ,the Romanians should serve as an example, which we could use- they had the audacity, despite the heavy political crisis they are going through right now, to upload it on the ministry’s website. Somehow I’m starting to think the Minister is hiding something. And then comes the most important question- is the Commission satisfied? Of course not!

Mr. Petkov, you think you can fool the Bulgarian citizens, in front of whom you are responsible above anything else, and maybe you are right. After all, you’re still a minister in this rotten government, although you act as if you are afraid even of your own shadow. However, your attitude towards Brussels is quite arrogant. Do not try to throw dust in their eyes too, cause they see further than that. I don’t think they will embrace your report after the big political compromise they did to accept the country into the Union. Do not expect a friendly pat on your shoulder for a job well done. Instead, please do save your arrogance for the criminals, which you constantly want to try and never manage to catch.